by Robert M. Traxler
The cancel culture has seeped into the fabric of our nation, to even include the Town Broadcast. Ranger Rick was cancelled; what and who are next?
History has shown us that the fascists and other socialist movements did not need to censor the media — the media censored itself openly and willingly, happily and with vigor, to support the glorious socialist people’s revolution.
Ranger Rick states that he resigned as the censorship was out of line; the management will say his actions were to out of step with the truth and needed to be edited. Whom you believe will depend not on facts, but how you feel about the sanctity of the First Amendment. The canceling of Ranger Rick, voluntary or involuntary, is but one more episode in a long line of people canceled for anti-revolutionary thoughts and acts.
In a state with no Bill of Rights, it is a bit easier to manage the message, so the left is out to not only destroy our history, but to teach that the Constitution, along with the Bill of Rights, are products of a, wait for it… a racist, sexist society, a product of evil white people that is void of any redeeming qualities and needs to be canceled.
When did it become acceptable, even cheered, to judge all people of any identity by the group? When did it become acceptable to judge a newborn child a racist at the moment of birth? In the name of all things holy, what are we doing? Spreading hate and discontent is the new favorite sport of the American left; the left is even condemning Dr. Martin Luther King as a racist. Folks, you can’t make this stuff up, and it is scary as hell.
Censorship has always been rationalized as controlling anti-revolutionary and counterproductive behavior; capitalists, Jews, royalty, the rich, minorities of all kinds are evil and need to be canceled in the name of whatever the current glorious revolution wanted to target. The current group to be vilified in this revolution is old white men, living and dead, and the movement is being led by Senator Bernard Sanders, a rich old white man — go figure.
Calls for our flag to be replaced as it is a symbol of (one more time) racism are coming in from the socialist movement. It is the flag under which the wife and I, our parents and millions of Americans of all races, sexes and creeds served, and which draped the coffins of our honored dead (well honored by some). It is said to be a symbol of racism, more so than the Stars and Bars, the confederate battle flag, according to Macy Gray, speaking for most on the left. To say that the socialist movement is out of control and lacking any semblance of rationality is true, however saying it may get you cancelled.
Our media and political leaders are terror stricken of the cancel culture that has called for the banning of conservative outlets from cable and on the internet, Fox News and Newsmax among them. Free speech is not so free in a socialist nation.
So just where is the traditional American left? Canceled by the radicals as too passive and contributing to (you called it) a racist society. The traditional left has been driven underground in defilade, blind and deaf to what is happening to the First Amendment, lacking the intestinal fortitude to challenge the radicals and complicit by their silence. Hell is indeed freezing over as the traditional liberals are becoming more and more anti- free speech.
For the past few years, I have been a bit reserved in my outrage over what is happening to our nation. I could be reserved as Ranger Rick, who stated loud and proud in his objections to Socialist policy. Ranger Rick will not write for this publication any more; I will endeavor to fill the void he left, until I too am censored to the point that no choice is left but to resign.
Time will tell. My opinion.
Sir,
What a revealing description showing the sad state of our society. I have mixed thoughts on our future as a nation. With strong family, education and most of all Gods Will, we may overcome.
My Family gives a profound thanks to Ranger, you and other folks that have the guts to say what should be brought to light.
AB,
Well wrote and certainly nothing more to add. I was very close last week to thank David Young for allowing this forum to actually have two points of view. Very few places in America today allow this discussion. So fortunate that I waited.
Cheers!!
Chandler,
Sir,
Thanks for the comment.
The truth is inconvenient, Ranger Rick was outspoken, a mortal sin in the “new media”.
AB,
Ranger Rick was more than outspoken. At his best – and there were those times – he offered a cogent, measured point of view. It is unfortunate, in my opinion, that there were also times when he was a bully, misrepresented “facts,” and even lied.
Offering differing points of view is a good thing. Even better is avoiding the vitriol some are prone to when writing about emotional issues. Some of us (myself included) can resort to hyperbole, or even exaggeration that verges on lying and disparaging whole groups of people, and that is a fault well worth working to eliminate.
RR was self-cancelled, make no mistake about that. Blame must not be placed on others for the choices he made freely of his own accord.
Ms. Mandaville,
Thank you for the comment.
“Blame must not be placed on others for the choices he made freely of his own accord.” I couldn’t agree more — like criminals, rioters, murders and looters, and thieves. I am sure you are also speaking of them and not only your (in my opinion) misconception about RR.
As a traditional liberal, your silence is deafening when it comes to the First Amendment and the banning of free speech, only allowing politically correct speech even if it is wrong. It can’t be questioned, ask questions and you are a racist; when did it become a fact that only Neanderthals question authority? What happened to the noble left standing up for the First Amendment, religion and speech?
Thanks again.
If you think I’ve been silent on the subject of the First Amendment you haven’t been paying attention. I am a staunch supporter of freedom of speech, even when I don’t agree.
Questioning authority is an American right. Bullying and lying are not.
As for when someone is a racist? It’s when he’s a racist, and every single person on the planet is one. It cannot be avoided. Whenever and wherever you have been you have been exposed to bias and have reacted to it in some form or other.
Ms. Mandaville,
Thank you for the comment.
Your words “It’s when he’s a racist, and every single person on the planet is one. It cannot be avoided. Whenever and wherever you have been you have been exposed to bias and have reacted to it in some form or other.”
I refuse to think “every single person” is a racist. Prejudiced perhaps, a racist, no. It is sad that referring to every person as a vile, dirty, closed-minded person is the leftist mantra, one meant to divide us into groups to be treated differently based on race, color or creed or nation of orgin.
You may wish to rethink your stereotyping, it is politically correct but in reality wrong.
Thanks again.
I disagreed with Ranger Rick, but valued the perspective he revealed to me. I hope Traxler will keep in the same track.
Wrong again Army Bob!There is a real newsworthy program out there. It’s called Free Speech TV, If you really want to know what happened and how this country went to hell. So long Ranger Rick!
Looked at Free Speech TV, no difference between them and NBC, ABC, CBS, MSNBC, CNBC, CNN and others. FSTV may be a bit more socialist but only a bit, it also advocates approved speech, politically correct speech, one sided speech, not free speech. The network openly states it is an advocate for social/racial/environmental justice what ever that truly is no one knows, but it sounds good. If you think FSTV is fair you are a good socialist and don’t believe in the First Amendment, you of course have the right to watch, and they have the right to exist, but it is no more balanced than CNN.
Thanks for the comment.
Not True. The station that you watch and listen to is paid for by corporate money, like Fox News. One America, which only represents, their own views that they’re paid to sucker people like you in. FSTV is only paid for by its fund-raising, not the corporate pigs you’re so consumed with.
DTOM banned from this publication tells me he thanks each and everyone of you for your support, it means a good bit to him.
Pretense of making elections better is dropped. The Michigan Republican committee knows the pretext for the voter-suppression measures has been thoroughly discredited. Their own investigation stated so. But they’re moving forward with plans to deliberately undermine voting rights anyway. West Michigan is an isolated peninsula that pretends bi-partisan government is possible, with Q-Anon and Antifa.
Does Army Bob have a big damn plastic bubble over his home and barriers that stop coax cable for Internet that stops him from streaming FoxNews, One America News or NewsMax via satellite dish or Spectrum Cable TV? Does his Internet provider block access to Breitbart, Red State and other “conservative” sites?
Cancel culture is a term made up by the same folks who wanted us to boycott NFL games, quit buying Nike products and years ago start calling cut potato pieces fried in oil “Freedom Fries.”
This is the same Army Bob who wrote a column about how older white males were being discriminated against, based on the way President Trump, U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell and other “conservative” pols over 65 were being treated by some media. Never mind that demographic has pretty much lived in a country controlled by older white males a majority of their lives, myself included.
The same Army Bob portrayed Confederate soldiers as people who were just fighting for their states, their way of life after being drafted or forced to enlist. He alleged removing Civil War monuments was an affront to U.S. history. Never mind most were erected after 1880 by groups wanting to remind the black population who was back in charge after the Confederacy lost the war.
Those weren’t honorable men. They were 19th century rebels trying to secede from the United States.
Now we’re supposed to be offended because Ranger Rick resigned from his position as an unpaid opinion writer for this publication after nine years. Ranger Rick left on his own volition. Maybe he was given some editorial advice regarding some of the descriptions or labels he used. Unless you are an owner of a publication, there are editorial guidelines. Ranger Rick knew that nine years ago and knew it when he resigned.
The regular contributor who has been banned was nothing more than a troll who regularly insulted anyone who didn’t agree with his narrow view of U.S. democracy and politics. He was publicly warned and continued to spew vitriol in an attempt to enflame others. The regular commenter decided to be a martyr for his “cause” and he succeeded. I have no sympathy for anyone who knows the rules, is warned, knowingly continues the behavior that caused them to be warned, and receives the consequences.
Army Bob’s opinions are available to be read in this publication, as were Ranger Rick’s until he resigned. We are all free to have opinions, however, we all need to be cognizant of the fact we are guests of this publication and this publication’s owner/editor has editorial control. Occasionally he exercises it. Too much for some, not enough for others but it’s his call.
Mr. Couchman,
Sir,
Please be careful referring to others as trolls; that label can be pasted to you. Please reread your belief in climate change ending the world in 2030 if we do not reduce worldwide carbon by 3 to 5% per year. Please remember your telling me that I should refuse medical care for advanced cancer because I doubted the settled science behind the end of the world predictions due to climate change, because I was a science denier. Please be so kind as to tell us if you still believe in the settled science, the irrefutable, unquestionable science that the end is now only eight and a half years away. You, sir, may put lipstick on this ‘climate change ending the world by 2030’ pig, but it is still a huge lie that you embraced as an 100% irrefutable fact.
Nothing says troll like telling someone who disagrees with you to die.
Thank you for your service as a battle experienced Navy veteran.
Mr. Couchman,
Sir,
You stated “Now we’re supposed to be offended because Ranger Rick resigned from his position as an unpaid opinion writer for this publication after nine years. Ranger Rick left on his own volition.” Then you wrote “The regular contributor who has been banned was nothing more than a troll who regularly insulted anyone who didn’t agree with his narrow view of U.S. democracy and politics.” Pick a side, any side.
You referred to RR as a troll; please read your comments and think that one over.
Apparently, censorship is good if it is suppressing speech you disagree with. I call your attention to the Socialist governments of history and how the USSR, PRC, National Socialists in Germany, Fascists in Italy, Spain and 12 others did not need to censor speech; folks with an attitude towards free speech resembling yours canceled free speech.
Thank you for the comment. Thank you for your service; I went back and read your comment on service not many can say they have seen battle serving in the U.S. Navy post WWII. Thank you again.
The regular contributor should be clarified as the regular commenter. Ranger Rick sent in opinions to be published on this website. He was a contributor like yourself. The person banned to my recollection never submitted an opinion piece to the publisher to appear on this website.
The person who was banned didn’t offer the publisher regular or occasional opinion pieces. They just sniped and insulted. They consistently went over the top with accusations and labels, perhaps hoping to illicit angry responses. Some call it stirring the pot but its what trolls do, hoping to anger those who read it. They were warned, snubbed their nose at the editor/publisher and now are silenced here. There are comment sections on multiple websites where they can still be heard.
For example; against the advice of federal, state and county health officials, one local community decided to have a Memorial Day or July 4th parade pre-COVID vaccine. The banned commenter was all in favor of the parade and defying public health officials then concluded he might attend, but if so would stay in his vehicle and watch. Simply put, encouraging others to put themselves in harm’s way to express their “freedom” but not doing so himself. That’s cowardice, not courage and acting on the strength of conviction.
Regarding your hair on fire remarks about Adolph Hitler’s National Socialists and repeatedly likening them to todays Democratic Party in the US — I suspect you are well read and realize that Germany’s National Socialists were a “conservative” anti-communist political party that came up with that name because it closely resembled Social Democratic Party that had been around since 1863.
I also suspect you are aware that Hitler and Goebbels shaped their political message around post-World War I Germany’s Big Lie that Germany could have won if the Kaiser and his advisers had not surrendered. They surrendered because German Troops were starving in the trenches and they were tapped out financially.
While The Big Lie wasn’t accepted in major metropolitan cites like Berlin and Frankfort it was accepted as fact by a majority of the 70% of the German population that lived in rural areas and small villages. Hitler and Goebbels also made sure the German voters had groups to blame. They chose Germany’s Jewish and Romani populations to blame and claimed those group’s actions during the war contributed to Germany’s surrender.
Mr Traxler, you spent a career in the US military, and while free speech is often talked about in glowing terms, you know as well as I that free speech as seen by the banned commenter isn’t tolerated. It’s called insubordination in the military. If you had acted in a similar fashion while in uniform the best case scenario is you would have had a performance review that was figuratively smoldering and the best you could have hoped for is to end your enlistment with an honorable or general discharge.
We recently had a president who regularly went after any publication of network that was less than complimentary toward him. The same president suggested people stop their subscriptions to the NY Times calling it a “failing newspaper” while that publication became more profitable. The same president called for boycotts of Nike for an ad campaign that supported athletes who kneeled during the National Anthem. He promoted the Cancel Culture that now is so concerning to some.
Less than six months after a new president was sworn in, we are learning his predecessor was aware that his attorney general was pulling phone records of reporters and politicians he viewed as hurting his political standing. That’s not freedom of the press, yet very few in Allegan County see this as a big deal.
Bluntly put, I’m a helluva lot more concerned about people purporting to be patriots supporting pols wanting to limit voting. I am concerned about people like Erik Prince, who has recently been tied to sending “conservative” operatives to Democratic meetings after fronting them enough cash to have them make $10K contributions to Democratic causes. I am concerned about law enforcement members like Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf who promotes “Constitutional Law Enforcement” in Kent and Allegan counties while having friends and acquaintances in militias who were planning to kidnap our governor.
The Cancel Culture is simply another catch phrase put out there by Sean Hannity and other Fox News commentators to keep their viewers riled up for the 2022 midterms and 2024 general election. It’s not the threatening bogeyman you seem to want it to be.
Mr. Couchman,
So, are we all dead in 2030? One simple question you never answered.
Hitler referred to Benito Mussolini as “my teacher”, a man who was the father of fascism, a reporter, editor, schoolteacher and son of a powerful Socialist leader in Italy. Mussolini told the Socialist convention in Italy he was born a Socialist, lived as a Socialist and would die a Socialist; he pledged his undying love for Socialism. Hitler copied him in allowing nationalism and religion into the Socialist movement, to the displeasure of the purest Socialists; except for allowing religion and nationalism, the National Socialists were as Socialist as your movement. Please read Mussolini’s books; he was a worldwide bestselling author. Judge for yourself (if you dare in today’s Socialist movement) if fascism is different from the new American Socialist movement. Perhaps that freedom to decide is not allowed in your cancel culture. If you do not like that term, call it censorship — except that the cancel culture goes after your job, home, family and friends.
The founders of our nation knew that the military is and must be more closed than the nation; your analogy is false. The Socialist movement would love the kind of authoritarian rules and regulations we find necessary in the military. Discrediting the government in public can get you 5 years in Leavenworth; failing to follow orders can get you anywhere from 5 years to the death penalty depending on when. Is that what you want for us all? In a Socialist society, you cannot question science, government, bureaucrats, or anyone in authority. Is that what you folks in the new Socialist movement want? Apparently so, may God help us all.
So, one more time, are we all dead in 2030? Settled, unquestioned science? Should folks who deny climate change ending the world in 2030 refuse treatment for cancer? “Come on Man” answer the question.
AB,
All I can hear are crickets……Well done Sir….Check and Checkmate………
Cheers!!
Mr. Wilkens,
John,
Once more a few words that say it all, thanks.